Jasper County

Trisha Yearwood has often hit the high end of the country charts with bouncy odes to her fellow females (“She’s in Love With the Boy,” “XXX’s and OOO’s (An American Girl)”). That’s hardly all there is to her musical personality, though, as Jasper County reminds us. One of her most well-rounded collections, it pulls together a wide range of styles into a cohesive portrait of a mature artist. “Baby Don’t You Let Go” sounds like something played on a back porch on a July evening, while “Pistol” is a roadhouse rocker with a growling electric guitar. “Who Invented the Wheel” is a tension-filled plaint (and an album highlight), while “Georgia Rain” and “Trying to Love You” are dramatic radio-ready ballads. Yearwood is stretching her muscles here – “Standing Out in a Crowd” makes her assurance explicit – and it’s easy to hear just how good it feels.